Dark Weaver (Weaver Series) (11 page)

She tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled.  “I’d appreciate that.  Marty gets a li
ttle confused with all of this weaving, and Lord knows there’s been a lot of it lately,” she offered apologetically.

“I can’t thank you enough for everything that you’ve done Pep.  What would I ever do without you?”  I asked earnestly.

“You’d make it because you’re a strong southern girl, and you can do whatever you set your mind to.”  She shook her index finger at me as she said this but there was something unspoken in her eyes that puzzled me.  After an exchange of hugs, Viigo sent her home.  Kess politely informed our hosts that he would prefer to retire outside of Era and return in the morning as well.  To be honest, I still wasn’t comfortable in Era so I was in total agreement with this plan. 

When we arrived back at the beach house, Kessler took my hands and turned them over in his, kissing each of them separately.  “I’ve missed a thousand kisses from you,” I said with a sigh.

“And I’ll gladly replenish each and every one,” he said in a low voice before finding his way to my neck. The warmth of his breath and the soft touch of his lips sent bolts of electricity down my spine.  I no longer needed to feel guilty about the way he made me feel.  The confusion was gone, and I let myself go.  Tonight would be the first night of recompense.  When he kissed his way back to my lips I wrapped my arms around his waist and let my tongue trail his lip piercing.  His lips felt like home.  When he picked me up to carry me up the stairs I rested my head on his shoulder and let myself relax.  Tomorrow would be a new day in our lives, but tonight needed to last a very long time.  Lucky for me my husband could make sure it did for us.  He deposited me on the bed very gently and weaved a fire in the fireplace.  When he sat the tray down with two glasses of wine I started to laugh.  “Now you are just showing off,” I said teasingly.

“I haven’t even started to show off little
weaver, and I still have lots to teach you.”

He handed me my glass and said, “I propose a toast.”

“To?” I asked, as I raised my glass.

“To
you M’lady,” he said in a husky voice. 

“To us,” I said
. I clinked his glass, took a sip from mine, and then set it down. “I am your humble student,” I said, with the emphasis on the word ‘your’ because I was never going to let anyone steal me from him again.

When morning came, I smiled before I’d even opened my eyes.  I was curled up in Kessler’s arms
.  I could feel the warmth of his chest against my back, and I could hear the steady tempo of his breathing.  It was such a peaceful way to start the day.  I hardly wanted to move, and I hated to wake him up.  I could only imagine how little sleep he’d had through all of this. My dark hero who’d never given up hope on me, even when I’d professed my love to another and told him to his face that I hated him.  There was so much I wanted to thank him for, and a million more reasons why I loved him.  My mind slid back to a memory of us when we were probably around thirteen or fourteen.  He’d confided in me that he hated his family.  That they had turned to the dark threads in search of more power…

“Promise me that you won’t turn into a dark
weaver Kess,”

“You don’t need to ask me to promise
. I’ll never be like them.”

“Just promise me Kess
!”

I promise Joey, I will never be like them.  I won’t be able to stop my tendencies toward the dark threads because it will be in my bloodline, but I promise I’
ll never give in to it.  I’ll fight it.”

“Can’t I give you some of my gift to stop it from happening?”

He lowered his head and wouldn’t look me in the eyes.

“Kess, answer me…is it possible?”

“Yes, it’s possible, but it would weaken your power and it would take a long time to build it back.”

“So, I’ve got nothing but time!”

“There’s something more that you need to know.  There are…consequences.”

“What kind of consequences?”  I asked fearful of his answer,
but certain that it would not change my mind.

“It would link us together forever.”

“I don’t care, besides how long could forever possibly be to a weaver?”

That had been an important day for the two of us.  It marked the day that we became as one.  Although I was still a young
weaver, I could feel his emotions after I’d given him a part of me.  I knew when he was hurting, I knew when he was angry…and I knew that he loved me as much as I loved him.  Today would be an equally important day for both of us, and it was one I was anxious to get through.  I rolled over and kissed the tip of his nose and he stirred.

“
Mmmm,” he moaned and opened his eyes.  “I haven’t slept that well in I cannot tell you how long.”  I noticed that his eyes were brighter than they had been in a long time and it made me feel good to know that he’d had some rest.  I’d slept just as good, and my mind was incredibly clear.  It occurred to me that it was the first time I was in my right mind in ages.  It’s amazing what that can do for a person! 

“Kess, when this is all over can we take a vacation and just go somewhere alone?”  He grinned at me and pulled me close.  “Where would my little
weaver like to go?”

“I don’t know, how about Las Vegas?”

“Sin City huh?  You sure you don’t want to go to a tropical island and sip coconut milk on a private beach?”

“Ooooh, that sounds way better than Vegas!”  He laughed at me and ruffled my hair. 
“We’ll go as soon as this is all resolved.  You’ll have your abilities back and then we can really relax.”  We ate breakfast together, and then I called Pepper on Kessler’s phone.  She told me quickly that she was just waiting for Marty to leave for work and then she would be ready for Kess to weave her with us. Which translated to us having a little time to kill (pardon the pun). 

We used that time to take a horseback ride on the
beach which made me absolutely giddy.  I hadn’t been on a horse since I’d given up Kisses as a kid…and I realized in hindsight that I’d named that horse Kisses after him…even though I didn’t get to keep that sweet animal.  It was one of the first lessons Kess had taught me about weaving for selfish purposes and he’d promised me then that I would have my own horse again when the time was right.  The more time I spent with Kalan, the more the holes in my memory were filling in, and with that my energy.  I urged my horse on to a full gallop and enjoyed the sea spray that splashed on my legs as we rode. 

Kess was an excellent rider because in his first centuries he’d lived in the days when traveling by horse was the only way unless you were a
weaver living in Era.  Still I did my level best to keep up with him, laughing my fool head off the whole way.

We prepared to leave for Era in a rush because we’d spent so much time playing.  I wasn’t the least bit concerned because Kess could weave us there in an instant, and I wanted as much time with my man as I could get.  Of
course the mood shifted when Pepper arrived, her eyes red-rimmed and her face puffy. 

“Pepper, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Marty,” she groaned.

“Oh Jeez, I should have seen this coming,” said Kess.

“Seen what?”  I asked confused.

“Sorry love, I forget that you can’t read right now.  Marty is feeling really confused, and he blames Pepper for the state of their affairs.”

“What’s the state of your affairs?”  I asked Pepper.

“We’re just struggling you know?  I can’t weave like you two can, and I keep popping out, and we’ve had to move several times over the past six months to keep Gen safe, and…well she’s wonderful and all but since she couldn’t weave she was constantly rearranging things physically.  I mean she cut off her hair, she rearranged everything in our home on a regular basis,” she broke down in gasping sobs.  “I guess it was all just too much and he told me this morning that he was going to go back to California and try to start a better life.” 

“I’m so sorry Pep.  None of this is your fault and I’m sure Kess can fix this for you, right babe?”  I asked, looking up at him for some back up.  I hated to see her like this and knowing that I was in essence the root cause of her pain made me feel even worse.

“I absolutely can Pep, and you know that I will.”

Pepper shook her head from side to side, “No Kess, don’t you see?  It will just keep happening and it’s not fair to him.  He’s not a weaver and my skills are limited so whatever help I get for us will always be from another weaver after the fact, or just in the nick of time and…I’m just so tired of all of this.”  Her thin shoulders shook as she sobbed.

I took her hands and forced her to look at me as Kess manifested a box of tissues.  “Pep, I promise you, after today it’s over.  It’s going to get better, and you can still have a life with Marty.  I know how much you’ve sacrificed for us and we love you for it.  Just hold on a little longer.  Let’s get through this trial and then we’ll all move on with our lives.  It won’t be too late.  It’s never too late.”

“Look at all we’ve been through Pep, you’ve’ got to trust that it’s not too late.  Love can survive more than you know,” Kess said in a soothing voice.

Pepper blew her nose loudly and then wiped her eyes and smiled. 

“I love you two, you know that?”

“Pepper, I can honestly say the feeling is mutual.  You’re a tough little
lady, and I’m going to make sure you are happy when this is over.  Marty loves you, it’s all over him.”  Kess closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them, he wagged his eyebrows up and down.

“What?”  I asked curiously.

“He’s not going back to California, he’s had a change of heart…and he’s making a very special purchase at this very moment.”

“What do you mean?”  Pepper asked.

“Let’s just say that you will be very happy and leave it at that.”

Pepper’s entire disposition changed and she looked at me with wide eyes.

“You don’t suppose…”

“Don’t look at me, I can’t read a thing.  I can’t weave remember?”

Her eyes darted to Kess, and he responded with an exaggerated nod of his head.

The squeal that came out of her could have peeled paint!

“Okay you guys, let’s do this!  I want to get home to my honey!”

We joined hands
, and I instinctively closed my eyes.  When we landed on the platform, I exhaled a deep breath and waited for the acknowledgement of the electronic, female voice.  After several moments, the three of us began to look at each other curiously.  Our feet were affixed to the block so we could not move without this release.  I began to consider what our options were if she didn’t pipe up soon, but absolutely nothing was coming to mind.  I could tell from their expressions that Kess and Pepper were sharing my apprehension.  About the time my anxiety level reached a crescendo, a garbled voice filled the air. 

“Era is under attack, entry is not recommended.  Do you wish to proceed?”

“Please expand on that,” Kess said in a controlled tone.

“I’m sorry Kessler, that request exceeds my protocol.  Do you wish to enter?”

“Weave us directly to the royal suite Gatekeeper,” Kess replied.

I had to
fight back a wave of nausea as soon as we arrived because the scene was a massacre.  Gen’s disfigured body was a mass of ash and burnt flesh.  She was hardly recognizable.  Her hand was stretched out to her husband who was face down with his arms at his sides.  His flesh looked like a dried lakebed with deep, puzzle-piece cracks.  Pepper covered her mouth and looked away. 

Kess
scanned the room to make sure it was safe and then muttered, “I should have known.”

“What do we do now?”  I asked
frantically.

“I need to get you two out of here, it’s not safe.”

“What about you?”  I asked, searching his face for an answer.

“I’m going to check out what I can and then I’ll join you.”

I started to protest but in my heart, I knew he was right.  I had no weaver abilities and Pepper’s were limited to healing.  Clearly, we were too late for those efforts.  If we stayed with him we’d likely get us all killed because Kess would have to weave for all three of us.  I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his cheek, and then I begged him to return to me as soon as he could. “I love you,” I whispered urgently as he weaved us back to the beach house.  I watched as he touched his fingers to his lips and then extended them toward me, and I prayed it wouldn’t be the last time I saw him.

Pepper and I spent the next seve
ral hours consoling each other.

“I can’t believe Gen is gone,”
she said and wiped her nose, which was as red as a cherry. 

“I’m so sad that I didn’t get to know her better,
she seemed like a truly wonderful lady,” I said.

“She was a handful, but she had this way about her that you just couldn’t
help but love.  Even Marty couldn’t stay annoyed with her for long,” Pep said in a quavering voice.

“
I loved her voice,” I said sadly. 

“Did you know that the king was
disguising himself as my psychology professor?”  I asked distractedly.

“
That explains the expression on your face when he morphed like that.  No, I had no idea, but I knew that he’d left Era and hadn’t been seen by anyone in a long time.”  She paused for a moment — You don’t suppose he was watching over you?” 

I crossed my legs Indian style on the couch and gave this further thought.  “
I guess it’s possible, but I think he might have been watching his ass of a son – though why he didn’t do something to stop him is beyond me.  I guess we’ll never know now.”  I added bitterly.

“I hope Marty is okay,” Pepper mumbled, and turned to look out the window.

“I’m sure he is Pep, I’m sure he is.”  I said, feeling incompetent in my ability to offer much more.  I couldn’t say the same for my husband and the longer we waited, the more anxiety blossomed in my belly.  I hated this, there was nothing we could do but wait.

We spent the next
couple of hours flipping through the channels on the television.  Neither of us had much of an attention span so it didn’t really matter what was on.  At one point, we decided that we should try to eat something, but nothing sounded good to either one of us.  When we couldn’t agree on anything, we squelched that idea.  I couldn’t eat.  I could hardly sit still waiting and wondering what was going on in Era.  Pepper suggested we go up to the game room and play some video games online or something but I didn’t feel like shooting zombies would make me feel any better.  I finally plucked a book from the massive bookcase and tried to lose myself in the pages.  Pepper dozed off shortly after midnight but there was no way I was going to sleep.  I stretched out on the couch and continued to read until my eyelids were too heavy to hold open. I had just drifted off when I felt the soft brush of Kessler’s lips on mine.  I immediately jumped up and wrapped my arms around him. 

“Oh my God, I thought you’d never get back! 
I’m so glad you are safe!” He hugged me close and murmured how much he’d missed me into my ear.

Pepper sat up rubbing her eyes and
came to sit on the opposite end of the couch.

“What did you find out Kess?” s
he asked through a yawn.

“
It’s bad girls,” he said heavily.

“How bad?”
  I asked hesitantly.

Kess removed his hat and
drew air in through his teeth.  I could tell he was not looking forward to sharing this news with us.

“C’mon, just give it to us straight Kess.  We’ve got to know eventually,
”  said Pepper in a frustrated chirp.

“
Kalan and Railey have escaped,” he said in an exhausted tone.

Pepper and I united in a
n immediate chorus of what, when, and hows.

“
Shortly after we left last night, a small army of dark weavers entered the city through an old underground tunnel structure.”  They somehow managed to get inside the Gatekeeper hub and override the system.  Fortunately, it was designed to respond to unauthorized overrides with an alert broadcast – which it did.  The population learned of the intrusion almost immediately.  I’m still shocked that they were able to get in because the hub is wrapped in ancient threads and only a handful of carefully selected weavers have access.”

“They must have had help from the inside,” said Pepper.

“That’s what everyone is suspecting.  Torvin is missing and all fingers are pointing at him on this.”

“
But I saw Viigo draw the darkness out of Torvin last night while you were fighting with Kalan,” I said.

“I saw it too,” Pepper added.

Kess considered this for a moment.  “King Viigo had a great deal of respect for Torvin, but he was no one’s fool.  There must have been a reason he didn’t destroy him like he did the other council members,” he said with a frown.  I just don’t understand it.”

“Maybe the darkness was cast over him again,” I suggested.

“My sister has a large portion of Lela’s power now, so you could be right love.”

I turned to Pepper, “H
ow did you and Gen capture her anyway?” 

“
Well, that’s something that Kess deserves the credit for.  He planned it out a long time ago.  He weaved us to your alternate bayou spot on your family property and we lured her out with my thoughts. I just focused my thoughts on you, and she appeared at the edge of the bayou, just like Kess said she would.  I was so scared, you guys don’t even know how much she scares me.”

“I do actually,
”  Kess said matter-of-factly.

“Oh, that’s right, I guess you would!  So anyway
, I just followed Gen’s lead after that, and repeated some words she told me to.  I don’t know what I said, but she just fell over like a limp noodle.  We grabbed her by the arms and then I called out to you and…well, you know the rest.”

Kess nodded.  “You did well Pep, and Gen would say the same if she were here.”  We all sat in silence for a moment, and th
en Kess continued his account of his findings.

“
They killed every weaver on duty at the hub, and then they overrode the system.” From there it was easy for them to get to Kalan and Railey.”  Kess shook his head.  “I was told that Kalan actually made an attempt to claim the thrown from his parent’s balcony, but his dark traits were too obvious to the light weavers and they rejected him.  When the light weavers rebelled, Kalan gave up all pretenses and behaved like the scourge that he really is.  At his call, dark weavers descended on the city in droves.  Fortunately the light weavers were able to push them back, but not without a cost.  There were a great many light weavers lost. Digger was caught up in the fray.”

Pepper and I asked the same question at the same time, “Is he dead?”

“No, he survived.  He’s with the menders and I checked in on him.  They say he’s going to be just fine.”

“Oh thank God,” I said.  I’d grown attached to that little
guy, and I was relieved to hear that he was going to be okay. 

“So Kalan and Railey’s whereabouts are a mystery now?”  I asked
.

“Not entirely,”
Kess said.

“What do you mean?”

“They’re moving under dark threads, so the light weavers can’t detect them.”

“….But you can, can’t you
? I uttered delicately.

“Yeah,” he said, focusing on some distant point in the room.

“And?”  I asked, feeling dread rise up in my chest.

He looked back at me, and I knew before he spoke the words.

“They’re planning to capture your family to lure you out.”

I covered my mouth to keep from screaming and
began to rock back and forth.  My family would have no way to fight them off.  What would they do to them?  Just thinking about it made the bile rise up in my throat.  I’d been so stupid!  And now the consequences would be paid by my family. 

“No,” said Kess gently, “you’ve not been stupid and they won’t get to your family, do you hear me Jo?  I won’t let that happen.”

“Kess, you can’t do all of this alone.  It’s like one man against city hall and we’re useless to help you,” Pepper said.

“
We’re not going to do it alone,” he said reassuringly.

“Who else can we turn to?”  I asked, feeling the weight of impossibility consuming me.

“I need you to take a deep breath Pepper, can you do that for me?”  Pepper looked confused but she shook her head up and down quickly.  The air beside her began to shimmer, and then a form began to materialize very slowly next to her. 

“Peter!” 
she squealed.  I watched as a slow smile spread across Kessler’s face.  The two locked in a warm embrace, and I just stared at Kess incredulously and mouthed, “How did you do that?”  He just bit his lip and winked at me.

“I’m a keeper right?”

“You never stop amazing me.”

“Does that mean you’ll keep me?”

“Forever,” I said earnestly, and took his face in my hands so that I could kiss his sweet lips.

Peter looked like the male version of Pepper.  His reddish-brown hair
was just long enough to brush the top of his shoulders and I noticed immediately that he had the same habit of tucking it behind his ears to keep it from his face.  Their mannerisms were remarkably similar in other ways as well.  They even finished each other’s sentences.  I tried to be patient while the two of them chattered and forced myself to accept what Kess pressed into my mind,
they’re safe right now, don’t worry, we have time.”
  He knew I was frantic over the safety of my family.

Peter was explaining what he had been through to Pepper while Kess was reassuring me and it took me a moment to connect back in the conversation.

“I guess there’s no permanent death for a master weaver.  I had thoughts, but they were disconnected and I couldn’t do anything.  It was like being in that semi-conscious state that happens right before you wake up you know?”

“I never gave up hope Peter. 
Especially after what happened with Kalan.  I’d even hoped for a while that Railey had your essence, or whatever you call it down in her basement after you…died.”

“Naw, she had no use for me after she took my abilities,” Peter said, disdain dripping from his words.

“Okay so that’s what I don’t get.  If she took his abilities, and left him for dead…then how is it we have him sitting here with us?”  I asked looking directly and Kess for an explanation.

Kess shifted uncomfortably. 

“Well, that’s what took me so long.  I sort of…made a deal.”

I furrowed my brows and crossed my arms.
“What kind of deal?” 

“I-I…”

“Spit it out Kess!”  My nerves were stretched tighter than piano wires and I couldn’t take much more of this.  Pepper and Peter were now silent.  Kess swallowed hard and then shifted his attention to Pepper.

“You know how you want a normal life with Marty?”

“Yeah…”

“Well, you’re going to get to have that now
,” he said with a nervous laugh.

“How so?” s
he asked.

“Okay,” he said briskly, “there’s something I haven’t been completely honest about.”  I felt my heart begin to pound in my chest.  After all that I had been through with Kalan, the suggestion
of compromised honesty made me hyperventilate.  Kess immediately put his hand on my knee.

“Relax,” he said, patting me gently.  I met his eyes and he smiled before saying, “I’m not him, I’d never hurt you.”
  I bit my lip and nodded.

“
I’m a good thief,” he said with a sheepish grin.

“I don’t think I understand Kess.  What exactly did you steal?”  I asked.

“You know how you are a master weaver?”

“Was, I corrected.”

“Temporary, but my point is, I have a unique skill too,” he said with enthusiasm in his tone.

I tried not to suspect the worst because the deepest part of me knew I could trust Kess, but if he didn’t s
pit it out soon I was going to get close and personal with mental illness.  “Kess, what are you trying to say?”  I asked in exasperation.